Iranwire – Women without a mandatory hijab are now banned from museums and historical sites, in yet another move showing the authorities’ determination to enforce the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. Morteza Adibzadeh, head of the General Directorate of Museums, announced the new restriction in a circular dated April 24, citing the “protection of cultural affairs and public safety” as …

Iranwire – An Iranian woman died after a fistfight erupted between security forces and a group of people opposed to mandatory hijab regulations in the southern city of Kerman, local media reported.  The fight erupted in a park on April 23 when members of the paramilitary Basij force warned visitors about hijab violations and people came to support women without …

Iranwire – For the first time, more than 40 political, social and human rights activists inside and outside Iran, some from inside the Islamic Republic’s prisons, joined a virtual seminar to try to answer the question: How to save Iran? Twenty-three participants live in Iran, and eight of them are in prison. The symposium was held on the Clubhouse app …

VOA – On the 5th anniversary of the imprisonment of Iranian American citizen Emad Shargi in Evin Prison, the U.S. special envoy for Iran called Sunday for his immediate release. Robert Malley said Iranian authorities arrested Shargi “on spurious charges” and that Shargi has been “wrongfully detained in Iran’s Evin prison.” Malley, in his tweet Sunday, also called for Iran …

VOA – Workers in Iran’s oil industry are continuing a strike over inadequate wage growth in several cities across the country, according to reports and videos sent to VOA. Following the increase in the inflation rate in Iran and the large gap between household income and expenses, various unions and groups, including workers, teachers, and retirees, have started mass protests …

Shabtabnews – In a twitter statement USCIRF Commissioner condemned treatment of Ms. Iraee by the the Iranian regime. USCIRF Cmmr @RealEU4U: "The treatment of Ms. Iraee shows the Iranian regime's flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of persons on religious grounds. The US & others must condemn the regime’s utter contempt for religious freedom." https://t.co/ZcZAcYl9D4— …

Shabtabnews – In a twitter statement the USCIRF Commissioner called for the end of mandatory hijab laws . USCIRF Commissioner @Skleinbaum: "Prosecuting Iranians calling to end mandatory hijab laws is a content-based restriction on expression that violates freedom of religion or belief." https://t.co/AUa3ZzRMNz— USCIRF (@USCIRF) April 20, 2023 This call was supported by the annual USCIRF publication of Religious Freedom …

Shabtabnews – In a twitter statement USCRIF expressed grave concern for Hamid Gharehassanlou, a Gonabadi Sufi sentenced to death for ‘corruption on Earth’ after peacefully protesting the killing of #HadisNajafi. His wife Farzaneh was tortured & sentenced to 25 years in prison” Cmmr @StephenSchneck: “We are gravely concerned for Hamid Gharehassanlou, a Gonabadi Sufi sentenced to death for 'corruption on …

VOA – Iran’s new domestic surveillance program for enforcing its mandatory hijab law is having a shaky start, with many women appearing to ignore it, lawyers sharply criticizing it and activists observed to be plotting to subvert it. Iranian state media said the program went into effect April 15. A week earlier, Iran’s national police chief, Ahmad Reza Radan, said …

VOA – An Iranian city prosecutor has announced an agreement between the judiciary, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the so-called morality police to form a special force to deal with women who refuse to comply with compulsory veiling. “Based on the memorandum of understanding between the judiciary, the Revolutionary Guards, and the morality police of Isfahan province, teams will …